Tobacco can



TOBACCO CAN Filed Feb. "24, 1935 Wimsss I I I low- MTW firm-R 'EYS patented Nov. 27, I934 UNI-TED STATES PATENT OFFICE This invention relates to certain improvements in cans, but more particularly to tobacco cans having means including a moisture absorbent pad for supplying moistened Vapor to the tobacco therein. I

These cans are usually made of tin or similar material and are provided with a removable cover and a horizontal partition telescopically insertedin the upper end of the can in spaced relation to the cover and bottom of the can for dividing the interior of the latter into lower and upper compartments of which the upper compartment is relatively shallow to constitute what may be sorbent pad wholly within the vapor compart' ment and preferably directly upon the upper surface of the-partition and to provide said partition with normally closed openings adapted to be opened at will to permit the passage of the moistened vapor liberated from the pad from the upper compartment to the lower compartment for maintaining the tobacco in a reasonably moist condition. I

In other words, I have sought to provide the partition with a plurality of tongues 01' tabs cut therefrom but integrally united thereto atone end so as to normally lie in their closed positions in the plane of the partition but adapted to'be bent or folded upwardly and inwardly at will to form the openings and also for holding the absorbent pad in fixed relation to and upon the upper surface of the partition.

Other objects and uses relating to specific parts of the can will be brought out in the following description.

In the drawing:-'

Figure 1 is a perspective view'of a tobacco can embodying the various features of my invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the upper portion of the can with the cover removed, showing the partition therein with its tongues normally closed, the dotted lines indicating an absorbent sheet of blotting paper or its equivalent unfolded and lying upon the upper surface of the partition.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the detached partition showing the absorbent pad in operative position thereon and the tongues opened and folded upwardly and inwardly over and upon the adjacent edgesof the padto hold the latter in fixed relation to the partition.

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the upper portion of the can taken on line 44, Figure 1, the absorbent pad being omitted'60 :md the tongues in theirnormally closed posil0IlS.- v i I Figures 5 and6' are transverse sectional views through the partition taken'respectively' on lines 5-5 andf6.-6,Figure 3 v I Figure'l is a perspective view of the unfolded absorbent pad; l v

" As illustrated this can comprises a main body 1 having a closed bottom 2 and a removablecover 3 together with a partition 4 and an absorbent pad 5. The-main body 1, cover 3 and partition 4 are shown as circular and are all preferably formed of tin or equivalent material.

The body 1 is provided nearits upper end with an inturned annular bead 6. which is disposed in a plane a relatively short distancefromthe upper end edge thereof to form aseat for the marginal edges'of'the partition 4 for limiting the downward movement of the partition from the top into the can. so

The cover 3 is provided with an annular flange 3 adapted to fit over and upon the periphery of the upper end of the main body 1 to hermetically seal the latter. The partition 4is of substantially the same diameter as that of the interior of the upper end of the main body 1 into which it is telescopically inserted to seat against the annular shoulder 6 and is provided withan upturned marginal flange 4 extending upwardly therefrom a distance corresponding to the distance between the annular shoulder 6 and upper edge of the main body 1.

This partition is provided with a plurality of, in this instance three, V-shaped tongues or tabs 7 out therefrom and arranged in spaced relation 5 about a common center some distance within the marginal edges of the partition and integrally united thereto at their inner ends.

These tongues or tabs 7 normally lie fiatwise in the plane of the partition or in their closed p01, sitions when the can with the tobacco therein is supplied to the purchaser after which they may be folded or bent upwardly and inwardly to form a corresponding number of complementary openings 8 and also for retaining the pad 5 in operative position upon the upper surface of the partition, the remaining portions of the latter being imperforate.

As previously intimated, when the can with the tobacco therein is first placed in the hands;,;

of the purchaser the tongues or tabs '7 will be in their closed positions, thus preventing the entrance of dust or other foreign matter into the lower compartment incase the: cover 3 should be removed, but primarily to retain the moisture in the tobacco.

The pad 5 preferably consists of a sheet of blotting paper or equivalent material adapted to be folded alonga medial lineea to form addouble thickness and is adapted to bej-placed upon the upper fiat surface of the partition between the inner ends of the tongues or tabs '7, as shown in Figures 5 and 6 when in use.

with the tobacco therein is first sold to the-purand the pad 5 will be unfolded so as to extend diametrically across and upon-the 'upper 'surface-of' the partition, as indicated by dotted lines inFigure 2 and as shown in Figure 7. This pad may purposes so that when unfolded as shownin Figure 7,.andby dotted lines in Figure'2, the adverbear any suitable printed-matter ,foro adventising in the can, the cover 3 will first be removed-after folded upon each other along the medialqlinea and then placed flatwise: upon the upper surface of the partition 4- with its marginal edges closely adjacent the inner ends of the tabs-,7. These tabs are then folded upwardly and inwhich; the opposite halves: ofttheypad-5 will be same figures that all of the tabs Tare folded-H after its application to. the upper surface of the partition, after which the cover may be replaced upon the upper end of the can to prevent upaward displacement of the vapor liberated from It will be observed, however, that when the can the pad and thereby to cause said vapor to pass "-downwardly into the lower tobacco-containing chaser, the tabs '7 will be in theirclosed positions oompartmenttthrough the apertures 8 with the assurance that none of the moisture from the pad will drip' into thelower compartment.

Thepad may be replenished with moisture from time to time as may be required after the cover has 1 been removed ;--without ;.di sp1acing I the mad tition is imperforate and that the pad-5 rests? upon a more imperforateiportionof saidpartition to reduce theliability ofany excessmoisturepassing from the pad .into thelower compartment.

:Itxwill also be noted; upon reference to the from their outer endsxupwardly and inwardly -over-and upon. theadjacent'portionof the pad,

wardly over and upon theadjacent portions of the pad, as shown in Figures;3,' 5-and-6 tohold the pad in fixed relation to the partition, thereby forming the openings 8.

A finger loop 10 is, pivoted to agplate 9 on the upper face: of the partition e to provide means for removing'the, partitionfromthe canwhen. :it is desiredto remove tobacco from the can, said ring being normally folded fiatwise upon the upper face ofthe, partition when not in'use.

' Operation When preparing the can -with' the tobacco therein for sale,-the partition 4 is first inserted into the upper end of I the can againstwtheannular seat 6- with its tabs '7 closed .or-lyingfiatwise in the plane: of the-partition afteriwhich theiunfolded pad 5,-as shown in Figure '7, isplaced upon the fiat'upper surface of -saidpartition. The

- cover 3 is thenplacedinpperative prositionand sealed to the adjacent portions of the can inthe usualmanner 'by a label ortitsequivalent, not shown.

thus leaving the openings 8 clear. around the edges-of the "pad for the passage of vapor from placement in one direction.

Although the construction shown a and described is particularly simple, practicaland high- .lyefiicient, it will be evident that certain changes may be madeinthedetail construction of the partition without departing from the spirit of the invention.

' What. I claim is: :In-a can a closed cover therefor, .a horizontal .partition dividing the interior of the can into lower..and upper compartments, .a. plurality of integral tongues carried by the partition and normally lyingin theplane of -the.,par.tition and .adapted. to be over-turned .across the adjacent portions of the .upper face of the partition to form va corresponding number of openings in said partition,a-moisture absorbent pad resting upon'the upper face of the partition and having portions When the purchaser buys the canwiththe tobacco therein -and-,w-ishes to use some "of the by upward displacement topermit :the' required amount of tobacco to be-withdrawn.

.Either before orafter the removalof the. parti- -tobacco,'the 'cover'3land' partition will'be removed 1 thereof extended under said over-turned tongues and a'hinged finger loop carried by the partition to facilitate removal thereof and disposed. for edgecontact with. the absorbentv pad .to aid in retaining the latter in position.

WILLIAM Ga. .MURRAY. 

